A Lehigh home was destroyed by fire in the early hours of Thursday, August 30.

The Drumheller Fire Department and the Rosedale and East Coulee halls responded to the blaze at about 1:30 a.m., on 3rd Street and 2nd Avenue in Lehigh, about 18 kilometers east of central Drumheller.

About 14 firefighters were on scene.

Fire Chief Bruce Wade told The Mail the approximately 1,100 square foot family dwelling was fully involved upon arrival. Alberta EMS also attended, however, the occupant and his pets were not harmed.

Firefighters battled the blaze until about 4 a.m., and members of the Rosedale and East Coulee departments remained on watch into the morning. The home was a complete loss.

Wade says an investigation is underway, but the fire is not deemed to be suspicious.

Students at St. Anthony’s are back to school this week and are looking forward to another great year.

Principal JoAnne Akerboom says, while the numbers are still an estimate, registration is very strong.

“Right now we are higher than we have ever been,” said Akerboom.

The school is welcoming a new fulltime kindergarten teacher Robert Roland. Last year he taught at Greentree School. Brittanie Weisensel is also back at the school completing a maternity leave.

One great addition to the school is a newly landscaped schoolyard that includes an outdoor classroom as well as shade tees, more indigenous plant life, and irrigation. It was funded by Christ the Redeemer School Division.

There is one new addition to programming. Teacher Kurt Phillips will be leading a high school forensics course.

“The kids wanted something a little different again so we said ‘we can do that,’” Akerboom said.

Another interesting program they are continuing with is Module Week, a project coming out of its High School Redesign.    

“This is where students really get to help us design what they would like to learn for a week,” said Akerboom.

She explains this is the third year they have done this. It is an opportunity for people from the community to come in and help teach in a special area, from the trades to the health sector. They have done everything from automotive maintenance to electrical work.

“We use the community as a resource which is great. I think something that helps the school a lot is the support we get from people in the community,” said Akerboom.

Another great program is the High School Recreation leadership course. This has been popular in getting the senior high students to take a leadership role. One of the projects last year was the popular Little League Basketball for Grades 1-3 students.

  One project as a school division they are undertaking is called #relationships. It involves how students interact with technology and each other.

“We know there is a downside of too much screen time, so there is a real emphasis on how to develop healthy relationships and something to foster human interaction, which is something they are so desperately looking for,” she said.

“Just seeing and hearing so much about the downside of too much screen time, I think it is a really important area we can keep focusing on.”

Back to school for St. Anthony’s is Thursday, August 30.